


I, Your Guard and You, My Heart

by ThereIsNoTragedyInThat



Series: A Thousand Futures of Me and You [215]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Boys In Love, Don't copy to anothe site, Drabble, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Stephen Strange, M/M, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:27:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23207710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThereIsNoTragedyInThat/pseuds/ThereIsNoTragedyInThat
Summary: Post battle Stephen and Tony come down together.Day 5: Late Night Talks
Relationships: Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Series: A Thousand Futures of Me and You [215]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1118655
Comments: 16
Kudos: 126





	I, Your Guard and You, My Heart

“You almost died today.”

Stephen sighed quietly, breath puffing against Tony’s face where he lay next to him. The room was warm and the bed two-fold as they lay together, still there was barely an ounce of space between them. Stephen’s legs were intertwined clumsily with his lover’s and their heads shared a lumpy pillow. Tony’s hand was resting securely on his hip, thumb rubbing constant, soothing circles on the sliver of skin between his boxers and t-shirt.

“You almost did too.”

The response was flippant, spoken out of exhaustion. Stephen’s entire body was aching and sore. Bruises marked his skin from head to toe, his hands, which rested carefully between their bodies ached something fierce. All he wanted was to fall asleep next to Tony and forget the truly awful day that this had become. Luck had never been on his side though.

“Stephen,” the hand on his hip squeezed gently.

“I’m ok,” Stephen didn’t open his eyes. “You’re ok. Go to sleep.”

There was a long silence and Stephen thought his advice must have been taken, thankfully. He exhaled slowly, tried to ignore the pain and focus on his subconscious. Meditation might be the only way to fall asleep tonight and he needed to focus, needed to stop thinking, and imagining about another time when things had been desperate.

“I saw you fall after-”

Stephen’s eyes flew open at the sound of Tony’s voice, broken and hoarse with emotion. Directly in front of him were Tony’s wide brown eyes, expression crumpled into something desperate and haunted. It took him all of five seconds to realize those usually vibrant eyes were glassy, distant as his mind drifted back to something so long ago now, but no less agonizing.

It all came together in a snap.

Today had been difficult. Stephen had thought, near the end, they might all very well die this time. He’d acted without thinking, throwing himself at their enemy, willing to do everything, even if that meant giving his life, if it meant saving those of the Avengers. He’d been reckless and had been injured…but he had saved them. All of them. Wong had fixed him up within the hour and soon enough the Avengers had left. Tired, weary, thankful. Leaving him and Tony in the aftermath. Stephen had thought everything was alright, that they had dodged a bullet.

There had been a moment though. Just one. Before Stephen had crafted the spell to take down the threat, where he had been on his knees amongst the rubble, breathing harshly and blood sliding warmly down his face, where he had caught Tony’s eye. His lover had been too far to speak to, to communicate his plan and so he had just looked at him, memorizing just in case. His expression had been…horrified, scared, determined, all the thousands of things that made up Tony Stark and his personality in battle.

Now, Stephen imagined how that would have looked to Tony. Imagined the last time Tony had seen him like that, on a foreign planet surrounded by rubble and facing off against an enemy too powerful for words. Could feel panic swell up in his own chest, only for him to beat it back viciously, refusing to succumb while Tony needed him.

Stephen sat up quickly, dragging Tony with him, hands settling themselves on either side of his face as he stared into familiar brown eyes. Pressing their foreheads together Stephen spoke slowly.

“I’m alive. This isn’t Titan. Tony. I’m _alive._ I’m _ok.”_

The words, repeated like a mantra, went on for a very long time. Tony’s breathing, which had been labored before, eased into something resembling normalcy but Stephen’s didn’t stop. Whispering whatever he thought Tony needed to hear, declarations and reassurances.

“You’re ok.”

Tony blinked rapidly and Stephen felt his heart soar with relief. All the pains and bruises made themselves known as fear abated in the face of Tony’s awareness and Stephen couldn’t help but wince, earning narrowed eyes.

“I _am_ ok,” he offered.

Tony rubbed a hand over his face and Stephen tugged him closer, just holding his lover while they both calmed down. Finally, after several long moments Tony let out a quiet little chuckle, shaking his head, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I scared you today.”

“You did,” he confirmed easily. “But I also know you did what you had to.”

Stephen bit his lip. It was difficult not to let another apology slip out. This was the reality they lived and the one they both agreed to when they got together. Stephen wouldn’t change it for the world but that didn’t mean he sometimes wished otherwise.

“Ready for bed?” Stephen asked softly.

Instead of answering, Tony carefully maneuvered Stephen into a laying position. It proved to be a bit of a process, muscles protesting the arrangement. Eventually, they found themselves laying down, Tony’s head cushioned on Stephen’s chest, right over his heart.

“I love you.”

“I know.”

Tony smacked his chest gently.

Stephen chuckled and hugged him tighter, trembling fingers digging into Tony’s side, grounding the man.

“Say it back.”

“Hmm, say what?”

A nip at his skin and Stephen couldn’t contain his smile, “I love you.”

A long pause.

“And?”

“And I’m alright. Now go to bed I’m dead tired.”

“Sorry.”

“Stop it. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Stephen found himself staying awake long after Tony had drifted off, eyes fixated on the slow rise and fall of his lover’s chest as he breathed. Something about it was captivating, reassuring, settling. It wasn’t until many hours later, when Tony began to stir that Stephen realized he’d held vigil the entire time, eyes heavy and exhaustion tearing at his mind, waiting for nightmares to disturb Tony’s sleep.

They didn’t come and as the sun began to creep its way into their bedroom, bringing a new, happier day, Stephen finally let his eyes fall closed and his body to relax. His aches and pains were millions of miles away by that point.

**Author's Note:**

> This feels like a let down after the last one. All well.


End file.
